


Slow and Steady

by ideallyqualia



Series: Rare Pairs [50]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Universe, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-18
Updated: 2015-10-18
Packaged: 2018-04-26 21:05:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5020528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ideallyqualia/pseuds/ideallyqualia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matsukawa is the opposite of peace to Iwaizumi's amicably tortured existence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Slow and Steady

**Author's Note:**

> An anon asked me to try iwamatsu a long time ago (when requests were open; they aren't open now)

"Could you give me a pencil, Hajime?" Matsukawa asked. He motioned for one with a lazy hand.    

Iwaizumi's head snapped up. "Did you just call me Hajime?"

"What?"

"You called me Hajime."

Matsukawa pressed his hand forward. "Who cares. I need a pencil."

"I'll give you one," Hanamaki said. He slipped one along the table surface in an irritated scrape. It was the pencil he was using, so he had to dig through his backpack for another one.

"You gave me a dull pencil." Matsukawa looked it over and then waved it in Hanamaki's face.

"I gave you  _a_ pencil."

"I can barely write with this."

Iwaizumi sat in his chair stiffly, still prickling from Matsukawa calling him Hajime. Their arguing unsettled an otherwise quiet room of studying, waging in the background of Iwaizumi's thoughts.

Oikawa was the only one doing homework. He pressed his pencil to the paper with a barely visible smile, twitching from satisfaction that had nothing to do with his writing.

"Makki."

"Mattsun," Hanamaki said, falsely matching Matsukawa's tone. 

" _Look_ at this pencil. The top just disappeared. I couldn't even write a sentence."

"You  _broke_  the pencil? I can't believe you."

"It didn't break off, it just died." Matsukawa turned to Iwaizumi, his arms sliding over the table and brushing Iwaizumi's. "Tell me this is a pathetic pencil."

Iwaizumi leaned the side of his face against his hand, vertically propped up by his elbow. "Can we get back to homework?"

"I'm not giving him pencils anymore," Hanamaki said.

"I still need one."

Iwaizumi's face dragged against his hand. His silent suffering was broken by Matsukawa knocking his elbow more into Iwaizumi's, his head leaning forward to address Iwaizumi.

"Are you just going to sit there? I need something to write with." Matsukawa pushed his arm against Iwaizumi's more, challengingly provoking him to say something.

"Here." Oikawa paused to place something on Matsukawa's paper.

"Oikawa. This is a crayon," Matsukawa said, voice deliberately slow to deliver the disappointment. He flicked it off the table.

Oikawa's eyes followed it, and his delayed complaint brought Hanamaki to laughter. Matsukawa grimaced at them both. His hand scrabbled with his paper in annoyance, but his arm refused to move away from Iwaizumi.

"If it'll shut you up, _I'll_ give you one," Iwaizumi said. His mouth settled to the side when he saw renewed smugness flash across Oikawa's face.

Matsukawa perked up. He straightened in his chair, drawing himself to a height where his arms fell away from Iwaizumi. "Oh? That's generous."

"It's self-preservation. I'm greying from this." Iwaizumi fished an extra pencil from his backpack and dropped it in the distance between them.

Matsukawa reached for it and picked it up, his eyes blinking and squinting at it. He inspected it by turning it with his fingers.

"It has…character," Matsukawa said. There was dried ink all over it, cascading in jagged spirals and decorated with misshapen hearts and stars. Every pen stroke was etched into the wood permanently.

"Oikawa wrote on all of mine with a pen. They're ugly," Iwaizumi said.

Oikawa sat up. "No one else has pencils like that! Now they can't be stolen," he said defensively.

"They  _won't_ be stolen," Matsukawa muttered. Hanamaki snickered, and Iwaizumi's mouth twitched up. 

Oikawa tapped the table with his pencil. "Get back to work," he said, chin up with authority. "We slacked off enough already." 

"I know you're captain, but that sounded like a first year pretending to be one," Hanamaki said. 

Oikawa raised his pencil threateningly, but Iwaizumi cut him off. "If your grades end up worse than a first year's, then you'll look like an idiot. Just do the homework."

Hanamaki and Matsukawa mumbled and resumed writing. Oikawa leaned to the side to regard Iwaizumi with a scrunched up nose and frown.

Remarkably, half an hour passed in productive silence. Hanamaki's house was empty of its other inhabitants, so they had his house to themselves for a day of studying. His dining room had a wide enough table, and there weren't any distracting decorations to erase the studying atmosphere, so it was suitable for them. 

"I'm hungry," Matsukawa said. "Hanamaki."

"No."

"I'm hungry too," Iwaizumi said.

Hanamaki looked to Oikawa.

"If you don't give me something to eat, I'll eat the crayon," Oikawa added, gesturing at the floor where the crayon remained. His voice lacked conviction, but the response itself meant everyone was in agreement.

"Fine. I'll dig through the fridge for something." Hanamaki stood up and walked around the corner into the kitchen.

Matsukawa leaned onto his elbows, his hands pointing at his paper as he slid it ahead. "How's your chemistry?"

Iwaizumi grunted as he accepted the paper to read and look over his chemistry homework.

"I'm disappointed in you," Oikawa whispered into Matsukawa's ear. "That was the perfect set up for a joke." 

"The only joke I could've made would've been a pick up line." 

Oikawa sat back in his chair. "You should've done it anyway," he muttered. "That would've been funny. Iwa-chan would be so flustered."

"I'm not deaf," Iwaizumi said, his head still bowed to Matsukawa's homework. "Please don't tell me pick up lines."

"Since you said please." Matsukawa stretched his arms up, and he rested his legs on the chair on the other side of the table.

Hanamaki walked in. He moved his hands in a vague spinning gesture. "I threw some stuff in the microwave."

"You're a terrible host," Matsukawa said. He rested his head on the back of his seat, eyes halfway up to the ceiling. "And you sound like you're doing laundry." He pointed at Hanamaki's hands.

"Next time, we'll go to your house, then. Since you know exactly what to do." Hanamaki wrenched his chair out from under the table, aware that Matsukawa's feet were on it. Matsukawa lurched in his chair. "So what were we talking about?" Hanamaki asked.

"Something about pick up lines," Oikawa said, waving his hand.

"Something," Hanamaki repeated.

"Let it go." Matsukawa brought his head to the table, the side of his face landing on his notebook, facing Iwaizumi. His arms curled around his head. "Are you done?"

"Almost," Iwaizumi said. "It'd go faster if it was quiet," he added sharply.

"Even if Mattsun wants to drop the subject, I think we shouldn't. I'm the only one here who's dated, and I--"

Matsukawa covered his ears. "I'm so afraid to hear the rest."

"--I don't understand," Oikawa continued. "Iwaizumi  _should_ be able to get a date for himself."

Hanamaki raised his hands and aligned his fingers in right angles, like the square screen of a camera. "I don't know what I'm looking for," Hanamaki admitted as he zoomed his hands in and out on Iwaizumi.

"This is a lovely conversation," Iwaizumi said. He lifted his head and slid the paper back to Matsukawa. "There."

"Ooh, thanks." Matsukawa's mouth quirked pleasantly, wearing an amused grin that made Iwaizumi pause.

Matsukawa turned to Hanamaki. "What do you mean by leftovers?" he asked.

"Some tofu, rice, and a couple sandwiches," Hanamaki answered him.

"After we eat, I'm raiding your fridge," Matsukawa said.

Iwaizumi raised his hand, palm to Matsukawa to stop him. "Let's just get back to homework. I barely got anything done today."

"Diligent," Oikawa said. "And pushy."

"Stop joking. I'm serious."

"Fine," Hanamaki said, dipping his head in mocking acknowledgment. He flipped open his notebook and set his pencil to the paper. "Happy?"

"I'm dancing on the inside," Iwaizumi said flatly.

Matsukawa and Oikawa followed, writing quietly with mumbles and sighs.

 

* * *

 

Matsukawa leaned against the wall, carrying his weight through the momentum of falling. "I'm exhausted." 

"We're leaving. Hurry up, unless you want to sleep here alone." Iwaizumi gestured vaguely at Oikawa and Hanamaki already walking away in the distance.

Matsukawa gave a drawn out groan, his arm flopping at his side. "Carry me."

Iwaizumi's answer was to yank on Matsukawa's arm. Matsukawa stumbled, but his lethargy fluidly led him into staggering steps.

"I swear, you're the laziest of the four of us," Iwaizumi complained.

"You really are pushy," Matsukawa said. "Mm, I like that."

Matsukawa obediently let himself be dragged. Iwaizumi released him, and for a moment Matsukawa still took a step with his hand in the air, tethered by the residual force of Iwaizumi's tugging.

Iwaizumi picked up his pace, Matsukawa following, and together they caught up to Oikawa and Hanamaki.

Oikawa turned, his mouth stretched in a grin. "Makki's busy. He can't come with us to the movies tomorrow."

"Why are you happy about it?" Matsukawa asked.

"I thought it was funny."

"What happened?" Iwaizumi turned to Hanamaki.

Hanamaki was already facing away, stepping to the front of their group to head home from practice. "I have an exam Monday. I have to study again."

"Oikawa, that's not funny at all." Matsukawa moved to Hanamaki's side to pat his shoulder consolingly, but the gesture was mocking.

"He  _hates_ studying," Oikawa said defensively. 

Hanamaki shrugged Matsukawa off. "You're all making fun of me."

"All I did was  _ask_ what happened," Iwaizumi said.

"You're just an enabler to Oikawa." Hanamaki wasn't upset by the roundabout teasing, and his voice was too neutral to show signs of irritation, but the forced glare he sent Iwaizumi made Iwaizumi twitch.

"You're actually making him mad," Matsukawa whispered to Hanamaki.

"I'm not mad," Iwaizumi said. 

"Iwa-chan, calm down."

"If I was mad, that'd make me more mad," Matsukawa told Oikawa.

Iwaizumi stepped forward out of his relaxed speed to shove at Matsukawa from the side. "Your house is that way."

"I know. What are you doing?" Matsukawa was leaning at an angle now, feet digging into the floor heavily as he let Iwaizumi struggle to push him.

"Let him do what he wants," Oikawa said.

"He's  _shoving_ me."

"Shove him, Iwaizumi," Hanamaki suggested.

"Go home, before you get lost," Iwaizumi told Matsukawa. His hands were rough and insistent in a final push on Matsukawa's back. 

"Fine, I'm going, I'm going." Matsukawa regained his balance and started walking away.

"See you in a couple days," Hanamaki called out mournfully.

OIkawa pressed his hand on Hanamaki's back to console him. 

 

* * *

 

Matsukawa lamented Hanamaki's absence through the popcorn line. Actually eating the popcorn distracted him, and he fell into appeased silence, munching on popcorn while walking through the theater. 

"Save us some," Iwaizumi said.

Matsukawa dipped the popcorn bag to offer Iwaizumi some, humming questioningly.

"No, not now." 

Oikawa grabbed it out of Matsukawa's hands and snapped at him. Matsukawa's hands remained in the air with a glance at Oikawa, his cheeks puffed from food.

Oikawa folded the popcorn bag away and shot Matsukawa a slightly irritated look. " _I_ bought it."

Matsukawa chewed and swallowed. "Have it, then." He slid his arm into Iwaizumi's side to link it around Iwaizumi's arm.

Iwaizumi pulled his arm away. "Can we just go inside?"

"Yes, Iwa-chan." Oikawa opened the door and waved them in.

The darkening room had a reasonable crowd for a Saturday evening, and there were enough open seats for them to take their pick. As the lights dimmed down more, the screen flaring to life, Oikawa led them to the approximate middle of the seats. Oikawa kept the popcorn to himself, held in his lap with suspicious glances thrown at Iwaizumi sitting between them.

Iwaizumi sighed. "Why do you even offer food?"

"That was before Mattsun ate half the popcorn. He crushed my charitable spirit."

The inflated seriousness of Oikawa's words brought Iwaizumi's hand irritably brushing past his forehead, over his hair.

Matsukawa bent forward, head turning to them. "Quiet, it's starting."

Oikawa shifted in his chair and refocused on the screen. Matsukawa relaxed in his seat, reclining and sliding down the back lazily. He relocated his elbow to his left armrest, pushing off Iwaizumi's arm to claim it himself. Iwaizumi ended up sitting straight, his hands motionless in his lap instead of on either armrest. His head sunk between his shoulders with a harsh exhale.

They decided on a movie Hanamaki wasn't going to miss. Romantic comedy, nothing substantial or memorable. Lights from the screen fell over their faces signaling the beginning of the movie.

Over the course of an hour, Matsukawa managed to creep to the side in subtle increments, until he was hovering over Iwaizumi's armrest, head at a slight tilt. His eyes were directed at the movie, but interest didn't keep his attention there.

Iwaizumi's eyes drifted to the side. Oikawa was eating popcorn, but very slowly. He chewed one at a time.

He returned to Matsukawa. "Get off me," Iwaizumi whispered.

"I'm barely touching you," Matsukawa answered lowly. He made a point of not taking his eyes off the movie, even if he wasn't riveted. 

Iwaizumi bristled. "Just move."

"I'm comfortable."

" _Move_." Iwaizumi pushed against Matsukawa's side, leaning into his shoulder to move him away. Matsukawa met him with equally controlled strength.

"Quiet, you're too loud," Oikawa hissed.

Matsukawa and Iwaizumi instinctively ducked their heads lower and closer together to whisper. Iwaizumi felt his stomach swoop in the dark.

"You're ruining the movie for Oikawa," Matsukawa said.

Iwaizumi prickled in his seat, shoulders rising stiffly. Matsukawa looked incredibly smug and comfortable, and his eyes were glinting from the light of the screen.

"Why can't you move? Your other side is free."

"No."

Matsukawa leaned over more, his arms dropping over Iwaizumi's side to rest heavily on him. Iwaizumi tried to swat his hands away, but it didn't work, and he resorted to grabbing one of Matsukawa's wrists.

The ceiling lights flashed on, bringing the room back to full visibility. Matsukawa and Iwaizumi stilled and glanced around, their arms falling.

"The movie ended," Oikawa said. "Did you even notice?"

"Of course we noticed." Matsukawa motioned at the ceiling. 

"You talked through the whole thing," Oikawa complained.

"You're just bitter that I ate your popcorn."

Oikawa stood up, a sigh escaping and settling his shoulders. He crumpled the popcorn bag in his hands. "Makki didn't miss anything at all," Oikawa mumbled. 

They walked down the stairs and headed out the bottom door leading out. Oikawa stepped away to throw out his trash, and when he turned back, Matsukawa and Iwaizumi were pushing at each other again.

Now that they were on their feet, there was a noticeable difference in their heights and strengths. Matsukawa was barely taller, but Iwaizumi was stronger, and he was more forceful in shoving his weight into Matsukawa's side.

"Iwa-chan, why are you always starting fights?" Oikawa asked.

Iwaizumi faltered as if he wanted to break away, but he went back up and used the movement to press back and throw Matsukawa off balance. Matsukawa brought his hands to Iwaizumi's shoulder and pushed down. Both of their faces were intense, hardened from concentration. Iwaizumi forgot that Oikawa tried to teasingly scold him.

"You're strong, but you're so  _short_ ," Matsukawa said haltingly between shoves from the effort. He accidentally emphasized the wrong word from the staggered physical exertion, and it renewed Iwaizumi's agitation enough to completely push Matsukawa away.

"You hit a sore spot," Oikawa chided at Matsukawa.

"What are you even trying to do?" Iwaizumi asked. 

"You were shoving me yesterday. I can't let that go unchallenged."

Oikawa leaned to Iwaizumi. "If he and Makki are linked the way they usually are, then Makki's going to want to arm wrestle you again."

"Hanamaki will be as undisturbed as ever," Matsukawa reassured.

"I'm the one who deserves to push you. You ate my popcorn."

"Step in line," Matsukawa said. "If anyone gets to push me, it'll be Iwaizumi."

Iwaizumi led the way out through the hallway. Oikawa dropped the subject and followed alongside Matsukawa.

"Tell Makki the movie was amazing," Oikawa said to Matsukawa. "He'll wish he was here."

Iwaizumi fell to the side to let them talk. Oikawa and Matsukawa agreed on having ice cream afterward, and Iwaizumi gave in and brought some for himself.

They left the ice cream shop and milled down the street. Even though Matsukawa was dragging his feet, he still continued to lick at his ice cream.

"You've been pushier than usual lately, Iwa-chan," Oikawa said, breaking the pleasant silence.

"I haven't said anything in ten minutes."

"I can't believe you timed it," Matsukawa teased.

Iwaizumi grumbled, and the two snickered. Iwaizumi didn't want to trap himself in a spiraling conversation with Oikawa, especially with Matsukawa spectating, so he kept quiet.

"He's prickling. He's getting spiky and ruffled," Oikawa went on. "Worse than Kindaichi."

"We're terrible friends to you, Hajime," Matsukawa said. 

Iwaizumi bristled, but Oikawa silenced him with a hand on his shoulder to nudge him ahead.

"Iwa-chan's so dull, I can see his answer coming kilometers away. It's going to be exactly the same thing as last time at Hanamaki's house when Mattsun used your name. You're getting stale, Iwa."

Iwaizumi threw his napkin in a passing trashcan, ignoring Oikawa. Matsukawa was somewhat likable when he made his tormenting comments, so Iwaizumi chose to look at him instead as Oikawa segued into a new topic.

 

* * *

 

Matsukawa offered to let them study at his house. Oikawa overrode his offer to invite them himself.

"Do you actually think we'll get anything done?" Hanamaki asked. 

"No," Oikawa agreed.  

"Let's just go for dinner, then," Iwaizumi said. 

"If we don't have the pretense of studying, then Oikawa's going to try to make us play volleyball." Matsukawa glanced at Oikawa, the only suspicion matching his voice being the entertained quirk in his mouth. 

"Don't look at me like that," Oikawa complained. 

Hanamaki went to Matsukawa's side and rested his elbow on Matsukawa's shoulder, balancing heavily enough to dislodge Matsukawa's balance and make him stumble. "I vote for Matsukawa's house." 

"Fine. But let's get out of the hallway. We're blocking people," Iwaizumi said.

School hadn't started yet, but students were filing through the doors and filling the hallways. The four of them standing around were slowing down traffic. 

"Mattsun's house wins, then." Oikawa waved his hand. "Bye."

"I'm so glad he's not in the same class with any of us," Matsukawa mumbled as they watched Oikawa disappear into the crowd.

"Hide the volleyballs when he comes over," Hanamaki advised in farewell. He walked away and drifted with the crowd, too. 

"I thought we'd never be alone," Matsukawa teased deeply and lowly, leaning closer to Iwaizumi's side.

"Can we  _ever_ have a serious, straight forward conversation?"

"That's for strangers. Partial telepathy is better." 

"Sounds like Oikawa," Iwaizumi muttered. It didn't sound completely like Oikawa, but he wanted to irritate Matsukawa.

"Let's just go to class." Matsukawa patted Iwaizumi's back to encourage him to leave.

They weren't in the same class, but Matsukawa escorted him part of the way anyway. His hand remained on Iwaizumi's back for a few seconds, until Iwaizumi jerked it off.

 

* * *

 

"You're the most perceptive one of us. If something happened, you'd tell me, right?" Iwaizumi asked. 

Oikawa looked at Iwaizumi with renewed brightness in his eyes. "You're asking me?"

"There's no one else here. This is your room."

Iwaizumi span a pen between his fingers idly. He was sitting in a chair next to Oikawa's desk, growing stiff and uneasy from the gleeful light he sparked in Oikawa.

"What's the problem?" Oikawa asked from his bed. He was tossing a volleyball up and down, talking and spinning it with his hands, but he sat up to give Iwaizumi full attention.

Iwaizumi put the pen down and scratched at his knees. He wasn't noticeably embarrassed, but the shifting told Oikawa he was tortured by what he was going to say.

"Matsukawa," Iwaizumi said. 

"That's not an explanation."

"If you've noticed anything, then it is."

Oikawa smiled, but it only flickered as he tilted his head to the side in thought.

"He's the same as ever. Why? Did you mean something else?"

Iwaizumi gave Oikawa a level glare. "He's more insufferable than usual. It's almost like he learned it from you."

"I'm not going to answer insults." 

Iwaizumi bent his arm behind his head to rub at his neck. The only way Oikawa was going to help was if he admitted everything out loud, and only after Oikawa poked and prodded him for fun. "Ugh, never mind."

Oikawa's eyes flicked over Iwaizumi. "Constant shoulder tension is bad for your health."

"Shut up." Iwaizumi picked up an eraser from Oikawa's desk and broke it in half.

Oikawa's eyebrows creased at the damage, but his eyes cleared to glimmer in amusement. "Is that payback for the pencils?" 

"I wasn't thinking about that at all."

"So you're just impulsively temperamental…"

Iwaizumi rolled the chair back to its place at the desk and resumed concentrating on his notebook.

 

* * *

 

Iwaizumi dragged himself up the steps to Matsukawa's house. Matsukawa opened the door, and at the silence, Iwaizumi realized that Hanamaki and Oikawa weren't here yet. 

"Come on in." Matsukawa opened the door further and leaned against the door to watch Iwaizumi walk through.

Iwaizumi saw Matsukawa in casual clothes all the time, outside of volleyball jerseys and school uniforms. Iwaizumi knew this, but he couldn't remember any specific clothing that Matsukawa wore. He was just very conscious of the sweats Matsukawa threw on to greet him at the door, loose at the leg but tighter above the knee, at the thighs and waist. When Matsukawa turned to lead inside, Iwaizumi saw his leg muscles flex and stretch under the fabric, all the way up to the curve of his butt.

"Sorry we made you do this. It looks like it took a lot of effort," Iwaizumi said dryly.

Matsukawa paused in front of him, on their way to the living room. "You're looking at my ass, aren't you?"

The abrupt choking sound satisfied Matsukawa immensely. It provided more satisfaction than anything Iwaizumi could've said.

"Just sit down," Iwaizumi managed to snap. 

"You caught me at a bad time." Matsukawa gestured over his clothes. He stood standing as Iwaizumi sat on the couch. 

"You mean a lazy time."

"I swear I was going to get dressed."

The doorbell rang again, and Matsukawa grumbled and went to the door to answer.

"Don't dress up on my account," Hanamaki said as he surveyed Matsukawa's clothes.

"You guys usually show up later," Matsukawa said in defense. 

"Uh huh." Hanamaki stepped around Matsukawa and walked inside. He caught Iwaizumi's eye and headed there after removing his shoes.

Matsukawa moved to close the door, but he stopped. "Is that Oikawa down the street?" 

"Yeah," Hanamaki confirmed from his seat next to Iwaizumi.

"Why are you  _all_ on time? This never happens." Matsukawa took another look at himself and came to a decision with dropping shoulders. "Hanamaki, get the door. I'm going to change before Oikawa gets here." 

"Ugh," Hanamaki complained. "Fine."

He groaned and stood back up. Iwaizumi was content watching him walk away with an annoyed cast to his shoulders, hunched to guard the door. 

Oikawa glanced around the house and ducked inside, looking everywhere in the room. "Did I walk to Makki's house by accident?" 

"Very funny," Hanamaki said. "Matsukawa just went to get dressed."

"Why?" Oikawa asked. He slipped his shoes off with his feet and nudged them next to Iwaizumi's.

"He was in his pajamas." 

Hanamaki closed the door and reclaimed his seat. He crossed his leg over his knee and leaned forward to prop his elbow there.

"I can't believe Mattsun spent his Sunday in his pajamas," Oikawa said. He motioned at Hanamaki to move. Hanamaki scooted over to open up the space in the middle. 

"He didn--" Iwaizumi cut himself off. "Yes, he was in his pajamas."

Oikawa's eyebrows knitted, his mouth pressing together and head turning to glance between them. "What's come over you, Iwa-chan?"

"Nothing." Iwaizumi shifted to lean on the armrest and wait. 

Dampened footsteps approached the room. Matsukawa reappeared in new clothes, the same socks still on his feet. 

"Mattsun, it's 5 PM. You  _just_ changed out of pajamas?" Oikawa asked. 

"I wasn't wearing pajamas. Tell him, Hanamaki." 

"You were a slob in ugly pajamas," Hanamaki said. 

Matsukawa bristled. "No I wasn't." 

"You were," Iwaizumi agreed.

Matsukawa's jaw moved rigidly in a frown. His shoulders hiked up, and a disgruntled rumble left his throat.

"Now we're even," Iwaizumi said under his breath. His voice was neutral, but the edges of his mouth were lifted. 

"Now that we've cleared that up. Food?" Hanamaki asked. 

"There's a pizza in the oven," Matsukawa said. He flopped in a chair next to the couch. 

"Good. Delivery's a rip off." Hanamaki let his body droop to the side, his arms dangling over the armrest. "What movie'd you see without me the other day?" 

"A very good one," Oikawa said. 

"Are you ever going to tell me what you saw?" 

"No." Matsukawa made a loose wave at the TV. "Pick something."

Hanamaki got up again, grumbling and begrudging the effort. He crouched in front of the TV.

Matsukawa crept over to steal Hanamaki's seat. His foot slipped, and his fumbling trip onto the couch was noisy enough to draw Hanamaki's attention.

"It's upsetting, how few people I can trust," Hanamaki said, balanced on his bent knees with a remote in his hand. 

"At least he's too clumsy to get away with anything," Oikawa said. He was tilted to speak to Iwaizumi, his hand hovering over his mouth, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear. 

"It's the socks," Matsukawa complained, huffing as he righted himself in his seat. 

"Hurry up and choose," Iwaizumi said. 

Hanamaki pried a case open and picked up a disc. He dropped it in the DVD player and stomped back to the remaining chair. 

Hanamaki slouched in the chair, arms crossed. "You have to get up to get the food eventually." 

"Just give me the remote," Matsukawa said. He grabbed it from Hanamaki's hand.

Hanamaki ended up throwing in an action anime at random. It was a boring and poor quality one that they already saw, and Matsukawa decided to turn it off altogether.

He lowered his head, loosening his grip on the remote. "I'm bored."  

"You're useless." Oikawa wrenched the remote from Matsukawa and turned the TV back on to flip through channels.

Oikawa convinced them to settle on a drama he found. Their actual enjoyment came from making fun of the dialogue, at least until the oven beeped. 

"It's getting late. Maybe I should eat and leave," Hanamaki mumbled as they took to the table. 

Matsukawa's hand clamped on the chair across from Iwaizumi, before OIkawa could grab it. Matsukawa pulled it away from Oikawa and slid down on it.

"Alright, alright, I'll get another chair." Oikawa sat in one next to Hanamaki and crossed his arms.

"Don't pick a fight. You'll get food everywhere," Hanamaki complained. 

"I thought this wasn't your house," Iwaizumi said.

"Doesn't matter."

Matsukawa stretched his hands to stop them from talking. "Just eat."

 

* * *

 

"Hanamaki, you stole my seat!" Matsukawa shoved at Hanamaki's shoulder, knocking him into Oikawa's side.

Oikawa sat up straighter with a whine. "You're bothering everyone!"

Hanamaki swayed away. "I'm not moving."

Right after he finished eating, Hanamaki sprinted back to the living room to reclaim his seat. It was too late for Matsukawa, and he was still trying to fight him for it and haul him out. In the time he spent arguing, Iwaizumi and Oikawa took the other seats.

Matsukawa straightened, decisively turning to eye Iwaizumi.

"No," Iwaizumi said.

Matsukawa stepped over, and the growing smugness looming above made Iwaizumi shift and scuffle back in his seat.

"Matsukawa, wait…"

Matsukawa sat on him, stopping his protest by shocking him into surprised silence. Matsukawa leaned backward, his back pressing onto Iwaizumi's stomach.

"Get  _off_ ," Iwaizumi growled.

Matsukawa stretched his hands up slowly and curled with the movement, his body rubbing down into Iwaizumi's lap. 

" _Get off_." Iwaizumi's hands raked Matsukawa's shoulders and arms, too crowded to claw his back. 

Matsukawa responded by squirming and draping himself more over Iwaizumi. His head rose slightly higher than Iwaizumi, and Iwaizumi had to twist his neck to past him.

Matsukawa kept wriggling, and it drew too much clothed friction over Iwaizumi's thighs and waist. Iwaizumi felt really frustrated and a little uncomfortable, especially from the height difference. His mouth hovered by Matsukawa's neck with nowhere else to go, twitching from being out of reach. Iwaizumi jerked his head away and clenched his jaw. 

"This looks pitiful. Iwa's in distress. His face is red," Oikawa said. 

"Oh? I wish I could see that." Matsukawa turned his head halfway. 

Now his  _face_ was closer. Iwaizumi struggled harder to push him away, and his hand slipped to Matsukawa's side. It was suddenly an embarrassingly intimate place for his hand, but Iwaizumi didn't take the time to think. He pinched Matsukawa, hard. 

Matsukawa jumped up with a strangled yelp. He whirled to face them, grimacing and opening his mouth to say something, but everyone was laughing.

Iwaizumi was the first to stop. He was still stiff and irritable from Matsukawa sitting on him, and now he tipped his head down, chin close to his chest. His shoulders were drawn tightly together, and his mouth twisted sourly. 

"You look like a turtle," Oikawa said to Iwaizumi.

Matsukawa resigned himself to sitting on the armrest next to Iwaizumi, rubbing at his side with one hand and using the other to motion at OIkawa to continue wading through channels for something to watch.

Iwaizumi spent the rest of the night in silence. His mouth came together in a thin press, the edges of his mouth tight and embarrassed.

 

* * *

 

During practice, Matsukawa was riling. Iwaizumi never noticed it before, or he didn't remember, but with Matsukawa undeniably present in front of him, tension crept down his back, slinking and narrowing. Matsukawa stretched next to Iwaizumi, legs extending long and slow, hands reaching to his feet, back arching. It was every bit intentional. 

Iwaizumi moved and looked away. It didn't take the burn away, but Iwaizumi felt better pointedly looking somewhere else.

Matsukawa stood up and rolled his shoulders to loosen them. "Come on, run with me, Iwaizumi," he said, his head craning down to where Iwaizumi was sitting. 

Iwaizumi almost said no, but he sighed and followed a whim to stand and follow. Most of the team was running around the court by now in self-motivated laps to warm up. Iwaizumi fell into an easy jog beside Matsukawa, arms and legs moving at a pace to slowly ease into exercise. The best thing about it was the involuntary silence, prompted by using energy for running instead of talking, but that also meant getting hot and sweaty. The stir of activity generated heat in the gym, and the stifling air flushed Iwaizumi's neck. 

Iwaizumi dragged his hand over his neck to wipe off the sweat. Matsukawa was looking at him, and Iwaizumi had to look away again.

It was going to be a long practice.

 

* * *

 

On the walk home after practice, Matsukawa slipped in between Hanamaki and Iwaizumi and kept his place there. He didn't shove Oikawa out of the way, but he still nudged him away. 

"Mattsun, didn't we pass your house a while ago?" Oikawa asked. 

Hanamaki was stepping away, heading his own way home for the night. He shot Matsukawa a raised eyebrow and turned to leave.

Matsukawa sharply elbowed Oikawa to shut him up. 

"Why?" Iwaizumi asked, facing Matsukawa, voice almost too flat to carry a question. 

"It was an accident." 

"You're not that clumsy or stupid," Iwaizumi said.

"Since I'm so far away from my house now, don't you think you should--" 

"No," Iwaizumi interrupted. 

"--let me sleep over for the night?"

"No."

Oikawa turned his arm up in the air, thumb pointing to the side. "Here's my street."

They ignored him and continued arguing. Oikawa waved his hand in front of them. "Yoohoo!" 

"Was this your plan?" Iwaizumi asked. 

"I don't scheme. You're mistaking me for Hanamaki."

"You both plan out stupid pranks."

"Fine. I'm leaving," Oikawa said.

Iwaizumi waved at him without looking, irritating flashing over his eyes. Oikawa huffed and walked away on his own. 

"No way are you coming over."

Matsukawa bumped their shoulders together. "Come on, I've never stayed at your house before." 

Iwaizumi breathed out thinly. "Go home." 

"It's too far…"

Iwaizumi pressed his hand into the side of his forehead. "If you go to sleep early," he said reluctantly.

"Oh?" Matsukawa relaxed, grinning. "That was easier than I thought." 

"Don't gloat."

"It's hard not to."

Matsukawa went quiet, at Iwaizumi's halfhearted glare. Iwaizumi turned away and stared ahead, his hands hitching his backpack up by the straps. Matsukawa still kept quiet, silence passing by surprisingly comfortably. Iwaizumi tried to look ahead, only ahead, his shoulders and jaw tense from the effort. He couldn't forget that Matsukawa was there, and he glanced out the corner of his eyes.

Matsukawa was looking at him, warmly, playful insincerity gone for once. He looked incredibly pleased, his eyes and edges of his mouth soft but with characteristic self-satisfaction.

Iwaizumi swiveled his head back around.

"Is something wrong?" Matsukawa asked, a knowing tone deepening his voice. 

"No." 

Iwaizumi's steps were heavier as he stalked up to his door. Matsukawa walked inside and took the couch right away, resting his legs to the side and sitting up.

"You can sleep there," Iwaizumi said.

Matsukawa mumbled and let his arms fall to the side. "It's a Friday night," he groaned.

"We have practice in the morning."

Matsukawa gave a forceful sigh. He shifted on the couch and glanced at Iwaizumi. "What about a movie?"

"Did you forget what happened the last two times we saw a movie together?" 

Matsukawa waved his hand. "So?"

Iwaizumi sat on the smaller couch. "We're not watching a movie."

Matsukawa picked up the remote and turned on the TV. "Do you have any popcorn?" 

"Turn it off." 

"Make me."

Iwaizumi stood back up, and the movement caught Matsukawa's attention. It surprised him enough to raise his remote-brandishing hand to safety.

"I'm taller," Matsukawa warned.

"Just give it back." Iwaizumi reached for it, leaning over closer to Matsukawa.

Matsukawa raised it higher, and he swayed to the side to avoid Iwaizumi and look at the screen.

Iwaizumi rested his knee on the couch, balancing to reach forward and up. Matsukawa rose to hold it away, stretching his arm to the ceiling, and he flashed a triumphant look. Iwaizumi felt Matsukawa's other hand push on his back, and his legs moved around Iwaizumi, unbalancing him and making him fumble. 

Iwaizumi bumped into Matsukawa's chest, falling on him and scrambling to get up. His hands scrabbled around Matsukawa to find an appropriate surface to push away from. 

Matsukawa threw the remote onto the other couch. Iwaizumi tried to turn and see it fly by, but Matsukawa held onto his shoulders, pressure leading Iwaizumi down.

Matsukawa met him, his mouth on Iwaizumi's in a motion that was already half fulfilled by the distance. Matsukawa tilted a little, and his hand slid down Iwaizumi's side to rest at his waist.

Iwaizumi didn't freeze, but he stilled over Matsukawa's legs. Matsukawa was kissing him, with loose lips that felt soft in insistent nudges and lightly open mouthing.

Iwaizumi sunk on Matsukawa's lap. He didn't know how to kiss, and he suspected that Matsukawa was winging it, but the small sounds coming from their mouths together kept Iwaizumi in place. Matsukawa's hand slipped to the bottom curve of Iwaizumi's back, pressing encouragingly underneath Iwaizumi's shirt. 

Iwaizumi finally decided to pause and back away. "Is this the only reason you came over?"

"Yes."

Iwaizumi pulled away and sat back on the couch, instead of on Matsukawa's legs. "Really?"

"I thought you saw it coming." 

A low grumble came from Iwaizumi's throat, a soundtrack to his thoughtful seething. He rubbed his wrist against the side of his face. 

Matsukawa leaned forward, his arms landing on both sides around Iwaizumi. "I'll ask this time then, very clearly." 

"You don't have to ask now--"

Matsukawa moved and arranged himself over Iwaizumi, his knees at the sides of Iwaizumi's waist. He lowered his weight on Iwaizumi's thighs, and Iwaizumi twitched from the closeness.

Matsukawa looked down deeply, face hovering closer. "Kiss me, Hajime." 

"That's…not a question." 

Matsukawa kept looking at him, heated intent unabated by Iwaizumi's words. Iwaizumi felt Matsukawa's hand rub just above his waist, his stomach clenching and dropping.

Iwaizumi pressed forward, his lips returning to Matsukawa's more resolutely than before.

**Author's Note:**

> (General A/N that exists at the end of all my fics): I find unsolicited concrit really rude, I'm not looking for any. Please don't tell me someone was OOC/something happened you didn't like/it's too short/etc. in any bookmarks or comments.


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